TOURMALINE was know as the "rainbow stone" by the ancient Egyptians, they believed as it travelled up from the earth's core, it passed through a rainbow and assumed all the colours. Even the name TOURMALINE (coming from the Singhalese word 'tura mali') meaning 'stone with many colours".

No two TOURMALINES are exactly alike - some show the light effect of a cat's eye; others change their colour visually when seen in natural light; and artificial light. There are in fact 14 different TOURMALINE species and the colours range from reds, oranges, yellows, pinks, whites to greens, blue, indigo and black. The two most common species are ELBAITE and SCHORL and as with all TOURMALINE crystals they have multi faces which have striations and grooves that run parallel to the long axis of the crystal. The best gemstone quality of TOURMALINE in southern Africa comes from Namibia, but central Africa has many regions which produce excellent gem quality, Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi and The Congo being the most important.

Healers and Light Workers use TOURMALINE to cleanse, purify and transform dense energy into a lighter vibration. It grounds spiritual energy, clears and balances all the Chakras and forms a protective shield around the body. Black TOURMALINE (SCHORL) protects against electro-magnetic smog, radiation, psychic attacks and negative enrgies of all kinds. It strengthens the immune system, helps provide pain relief for arthritis and spinal ailments.